title: Mibefradil (Ro 40-5967) blocks multiple types of voltage-gated calcium channels in cultured rat spinal motoneurones.
abstract: The actions of the novel calcium (Ca2+) channel antagonist mibefradil (Ro 40-5967), a selective T-type channel blocker in myocardium, were investigated in embryonic rat spinal motoneurones maintained in culture. Whole-cell currents were recorded with the patch-clamp technique. Motoneurones displayed transient, low-voltage-activated (LVA) and, more sustained, high-voltage-activated (HVA) Ca2+ currents. The LVA currents were small and preferentially blocked by amiloride and low doses of nickel. Most of the HVA Ca2+ current flowed through N-type Ca2+ channels, while L-, and P/Q-type channels represented a smaller fraction. Mibefradil caused a rapid and reversible dose-dependent block of inward Ca2+ channel currents. Inhibition was nearly complete at 10 microM, suggesting mibefradil blockade of all subclasses of Ca2+ channels. The IC50 was approximately 1.4 microM on currents measured at 0 mV, from a holding potential of -90 mV. Inhibition of LVA Ca2+ current occurred over the same contraction range. Slow tail currents induced by the dihydropyridine agonist Bay K 8644 were also blocked by mibefradil, although with a slightly lower potency (IC50 = 3.4 microM). These broad inhibitory effects of mibefradil on Ca2+ influx were also supported by the strong inhibition of depolarization-induced intracellular calcium transients, measured from Indo-1 loaded motoneurones imaged with confocal microscopy. We conclude that mibefradil has potent blocking effects on Ca2+ channels in mammalian motoneurones. We hypothesize that therapeutic and pharmacological effects of mibefradil may involve actions on Ca2+ channels other than type T.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiology, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Felix.Viana@krzsun.med-rz.uni-sb.ge
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van den Bosch
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Missiaen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vandenberghe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Droogmans
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nilius
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Robberecht
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D020748:Mibefradil; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013131:Spine / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes; D020748:Mibefradil